Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-03-25

Ihe British are taking TO themselves
The credit Of instiiutinR Numerous re
forms In the redress Of abuses 10 Egypt,
credit which most Of the European
powers seem reluctantly disposed to en-
dorse. Considering all the effusion Of
blood that the presence Of the British
has worked In the land Of the Pharaohs,
the dominant race there can we'll afford
70 insnRuFate some trifiuR reforms in
the condition Of the vapq1ished feIlah,
which the former BY their Influence
with the Khedive can easily effect. The
vicious system Of Corvee has been
abolished, not however without angry
fsmonstrances from France, the sup
porter Of it. Under this system the peo-
pie Of the ooantFy have been compelled
at the mercy Of their rulers, to assist for
indefinite lengths Of time, and for no
wage, at the construction Of public
works. This abuse IL a. old a. the
Pyramids themselves. and long habits
Of submission 10 Injustice have de-
prived the wFetehed proletaFist Of ell
spirit Of resistance. By forty centuries
Of misrale. the heart Of the Coplio pop
ulatiOn Of Egypt has become broken ,un-
I'll, while possessing all the attributes
Of mankind, the modern fellah Is in
spirit nothing but an smasculated auto
maton. Most Of the works the ERyp-
tian peasant has been called 10 expend
bis strength on are In connection with
digging canals or repairing embank-
ments, though now and again palace,
or some monument Of uselessness like
the sphinx might engage the labors Of
the unhappy subject Of tyrrany. Need
less 10 say the latter's own private af-
fairs, his sowing or harvesting Of crops,
had TO be indefinitely laid aside at the
bidding Of his task masters. Now all
this IL changed and the wFesohed, fellah
Is permitted TO cultivate his own vine,
and live under the shadow Of his own
tiR tree In peaos. Naturally enough the
British are taking to themselves great
credit for institntinR these reforms,
but the latter would have come With
better grace had the former not so i'm
poverished the country With their
wars, that ell tbs natural wealth
Ia il, ineluding years products. of
the PEASANTS crop is mortgaRed.
We don't ses that under these oiroum.
stances the emaneipaied Oriental has
much cause TO be thankful to his West
ern benefsotors for thus bringing about
bis nominal emancipation. His labor
will beneat somebody else jass the same
a. IL did before, for is not his master
saddled With dsb, Of S45. 0O0, 200 which
will have to be vrung from the tells of
the wretohed subject? How are the las
ter advantaged by being permitted to
work on their own lands. when the fruit
OF those lands mast go to refaud the
loan OF the pewers?" II emancipation
means no more than this. then We think
the lneklsss peasant OF Egypt has got
little 60 be thankful for. Neither the
English or the French have ever bad
Auy excuse for their presence in Egypt
They have never understood "the sick |
man Of the Rast or his ways" and have
'ver shown disposition to saddle him
' tn debts, to fsht In aud mets out his
erritory, when tbs disrupted aud |
thankfully governed Empire vould have
Tot on better by being allowed ito stew
luietly in is own gravy" The eastern
4 employing the prolelaria, on pubic
FORKS. though absolutely dsfsnseless. Is
digestive Of time In the history OF
ar own sourtrY, when il may become
esessary 20 emploY the labor of our
oEviet population on works and i'm.
rovements, which the local governing
'1dies would not otherwise feel iusti
led TO undertake. OF competitive con
lot labor We shall always be deter.
mined opponents. at the same tue. as
Industry must not be taxed TO support
tlenees and crime, 80 We thiak The 90.
aston might arise when We could give
Inalined sanction TO works connected
'iih sanitation and excavation being
ndertaken by convict labor when the
fairs Of The eooRty did not admit Of
Is employing free. The eoncludins re-
larks OF oar article have been suR-
ested by the Coryee syste@ OF Egypt,
I'd while We are heartily glad 10 see is .
polished, we aaestion whether under !
ri,isA coercion and French Inter.
isddisng ths lot Of Ihe snAneiplted !
sllAh viii be mach better than it was /
sforp.
A CuECk ~ A COFFIN.